Salaries are rising, and rapidly! In the market I'm in, starting salaries 2.5 months ago were $20.82. Now the starting salary is $24.00, and more increases are expected.
It's supply and demand. In spite of the influx of foreign workers, the demand is not being met, so prices are rising. Also, there are not enough nursing programs here to train the number of people who want the training. There is a two year or more wait to get in nursing programs in the colleges here.
OOOh! The starting salary is $24. And after 30 years, I'm all the way up to $29--diploma, BS, and certification in my field. The problem isn't the starting salary, but why stay in this field for any length of time, when the real world has so much more potential.